Egg carton



April fi, 1965 M. J. MOMAHON 3,176,899

I EGG' CARTON Filed Aug. 22', 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 7 INVENTOR.

MCHAEL at Mo MAI-ION AT TORNEYS A ril 6, 1965 M. J. MCMAHQN 3,176,899

EGG CARTON Filed Aug. 23, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,176,899 EGG CARTON Michael J. McMahon, Hopkins, Minm, assignor to Red Owl Stores, Inc, Minneapolis, Minn, a corporation of Delaware Filed Aug. 23, 1963, Ser. No.'394,153

-2 Claims. (Cl. 229-49) My invention relates generally to cartons formed from paper-stock and more particularly to improvements in egg cartons.

The primary object of my invention is the provision of an egg cart-on, including a box-like closure member and an egg supporting .and separating tray receivable therein, wherein the box-like closure member may-be formed to effect a relatively rugged carton, shippable and storable in knock-down condition, readily erectible and recloseable, after opening, with a pressure-sensitive closure lip.

A further object of my invention is a carton of the type immediately above described wherein the eggs received therein are afforded a maximum of protection.

A further object of my invention is the provision of a carton of the class above described which permits inspec tion of the eggs therewithin through a transparent panel in the cover and which carton excludes to a maximum degree dust and other extraneous material.

The above and still further objects and advantages of my novel egg carton will become apparent from the following detailed specification, appended claims and attached drawings.

Referring to the drawings wherein like characters indicate like parts wthr-oughout the several views:

FIG. 1 is a view in plan of a blank cut and scored in accordance with my invention to provide a closure member;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged view in perspective of the structure shown in FIG. 1, partially formed to provide a. closure member;

FIG. 3 is a view in plan of the egg supporting and spacing tray receivable within the box-like closure member of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a view in side elevation of the structure shown in FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a view in perspective of my novel egg carton in its completed form;

FIG. 6 is a view in vertical section as seen from the line 66 of FIG. 5, some parts being removed, and on an enlarged scale; and

FIG. 7 is a sectional view on an enlarged scale taken on the line 7-7 of FIG. 5.

Referring with greater particularity to the drawings, the numeral 1 indicates in its entirety a blank formed and scored in accordance with my invention to provide a gen erally rectangular bottom wall-fonming member 2 having front and rear wall-forming flaps 3, 4, respectively, and opposite end wall-forming flap-s 5, 6. The front and rear wall-forming flaps 3, 4 have tabs 7, 8, respectively, projecting laterally from opposite ends of each thereof.

A top-wall-fonming cover member 9 is hingedly secured to the rear walhforming member 4 on a fold line 10 extending along the marginal upper edge thereof. Flap elements 11 are foldably secured to opposite ends of the cover member 9 along lines 12. Along its free outer edge 13 cover member 9 is formed to define an elongated anchor lip 14. Preferably, and as shown, cover member 9 is provided with a transparent viewing window 15 formed from cellophane or other transparent sheet material.

When it is desired to erect a box-like closure member from one of the blanks 1, the end wall-forming flaps 5, 6 are first folded upwardly along score lines 5a and 6a, respectively, whereupon the front and rear wall-forming flaps 3, 4 are folded thereagainst along score lines 311 and 3,176,899 Patented Aer. 6,1965

ice

4a,, as shown inFIG. 2.. To; secure the wall-forming members 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6, together inlth-is upstanding operative relationship, the tabs 7 and 8 are folded along their respective score lines 70: and 8a to cause their free ends to overlap with the anchoring ears 8b. of the, latter received within anchoring slits 7b in the former. -To impart rigidity to the closure and'to provide a relatively tight fit between the adj-acentmembers, sons to exclude dust and other extraneous materials therefrom, pressure-sensitive adhesive areas 5b andg6b -are,provi'ded.on the .outer faces 5c and 6c of theend ,wall forming fi'aps 5,6. gLike- .wise, pressure-sensitive areas 7cyand Scare provided respectively along inner surfaces 7d and 8d of the end-wall- .forming tabs 7, 8. 1 e When the egg supporting-and separating-tray. 16,.7which may be formed from any suitable material such as foam plastic or pulp-stock, is positioned within the open top closure member A, immediately above described, it will be noted particularly by reference to FIG. 7 that the marginal edges 17 thereof snugly engage the inner surfaces of the wall-fonming flap members 3, 4, 5 and 6 with the marginal edge 17 of said tray-forming member 16 being disposed considerably below the upper marginal edge 18 of said closure member A.

When eggs B are received within the laterally and longitudinally spaced supporting and separating cradles 16a, the cover member 9 is folded toward a closed position along fold line 10 with the flap elements 11 foldably re 'ceived within the closure member A (intermediate the end wall-forming flaps 5, 6 and the adjacent marginal edge portions 17 of tray 16), see particularly FIG. 6. During final closing movements of the cover member 9, the anchoring lip 14 .is caused to be received within the closure member A, with the outer surface 14a in engagement with the inner surface 3b of the front wall-forming flap 3. For the purpose of enabling the user to tightly reseal the cover member 9 in its operative position, the inner wall surface 3b of the front wall-forming flap 3 is provided with an elongated pressure-sensitive adhesive area 3c. It should be noted here that because of the inherent resilience and flexibility of the paper-stock from which the blank 1 is formed, that anchoring lip 14 is yieldingly biased in a direction to cause the lip 14 to come into sealing engagement with the pressure-sensitive adhesive area 3c.

As shown particularly in FIG. 7, the extreme free lower end 1412 of the anchoring lip 14 rests upon the adjacent marginal edge 17 of the tray 16. This arrangement securely anchors the tray 16 in engagement with the bottom wall-forming member 2.

My invention has been thoroughly tested and found to be completely satisfactory for the accomplishment of the above objects, and While I have shown a preferred embodiment thereof, I wish it to be understood that same may be capable of modification without departure from the scope and spirit of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. An egg carton comprising:

(a) a box-like closure member formed from a blank of sheet material and comprising a generally rectangular bottom wall-forming member having front, rear and opposite end wall-forming flaps secured thereto along marginal fold lines;

(1)) said front and rear wall-forming flaps having fold- .able tabs projecting laterally to overlap each other exteriorly of said end Wall-forming flaps when all of said wall-forming flaps are caused to assume operative positions substantially normal to said wall-forming member;

(c) means for locking said tabs in said over-lapping relationship;

(0!) egg supporting and separating tray means removably positioned within said closure member having egg receiving enadles therein resting on 'said' bottom wall-forming member'with the edges of said'tr'ay means abutting said front and rear wall-forming flaps at approximately the midsection thereof;

(e) a top wall-forming cover member hingedly secured a to said rear'wall-forming flap on a told line extending along the marginal upper edge of the latter;

said cover-forming member having a length sufiicient topl'ace the ends thereof between said'end wallforming flaps and adjacent ends ofsaid'tray means when said eo vermember is closed;

(g) a lip foldably secured to the free outer edge of said '7 jacent said front wall-formin g flap; and 1 (h) reuseable means comprisingan elongated pressureforming flap fordetaehedlysecuringsaid lip to the inner surface of said front wall-forming flap. 2. The'struoture defined in claim 1 in further combination with a transparentviewing window in said cover (f) flapelementsfoldably secured to opposite ends of a with said egg receiving cradles ReferencesCited bythe EXaminer UNITED STATES PATENTS 285,456 9/83 Brehmer -2. 229-36 2,896,836 7/59 Berg stein 229-48 2,948,455 9 8/60 Frankenstein 229-36 2,951,583 .9/60 San-ford 229-36 2,986,323 5/61 Wichman 229-36 FOREIGN PATENTS j 582,901; 9/59 Canada.

'- 393 ,l 99 6/33 Great Britain.

sensitive area on the inner surface of said front wall- 20 FRANKLIN T. GARRETT, Primary Examiner. 

1. AN EGG CARTON COMPRISING: (A) A BOX-LIKE CLOSURE MEMBER FORMED FROM A BLANK OF SHEET MATERIAL AND COMPRISING A GENERALLY RECTANGULAR BOTTOM OF WALL-FORMING MEMBER HAVING FRONT, REAR AND OPPOSITE END WALL-FORMING FLAPS SECURED THERETO ALONG MARGINAL FOLD LINES; (B) SAID FRONT AND REAR WALL-FORMING FLAPS HAVING FOLDABLE TABS PROJECTING LATERALLY TO OVERLAP EACH OTHER EXTERIORLY OF SAID END WALL-FORMING FLAPS WHEN ALL OF SAID WALL-FORMING FLAPS ARE CAUSED TO ASSUME OPERATIVE POSITIONS SUBSTANTIALLY NORMAL TO SAID WALL-FORMING MEMBER; (C) MEANS FOR LOCKING SAID TABS IN SAID OVER-LAPPING RELATIONSHIP; (D) EGG SUPPORTING AND SEPARATING TRAY MEANS REMOVABLY POSITIONED WITHIN SAID CLOSURE MEMBER HAVING EGG RECEIVING CRADLES THEREIN RESTING ON SAID BOTTOM WALL-FORMING MEMBER WITH THE EDGES OF SAID TRAY MEANS ABUTTING SAID FRONT AND REAR WALL-FORMING FLAPS AT APPROXIMATELY THE MIDSECTION THEREOF; (E) A TOP WALL-FORMING FLAP ON A FOLD LINE EXTENDING TO SAID REAR WALL-FORMING FLAP ON A FOLD LINE EXTENDING ALONG THE MARGINAL UPPER EDGE OF THE LATTER; (F) FLAP ELEMENTS FOLDABLY SECURED TO OPPOSITE ENDS OF SAID COVER-FORMING MEMBER HAVING A LENGTH SUFFICIENT TO PLACE THE ENDS THEREOF BETWEEN SAID END WALLFORMING FLAPS AND ADJACENT ENDS OF SAID TRAY MEANS WHEN SAID COVER MEMBER IS CLOSED; (G) A LIP FOLDALBY SECURED TO THE FREE OUTER EDGE OF SAID COVER-FORMING MEMBER SAID LIP LIKEWISE BEING RECEIVED WITHIN THE ENCLOSURE DEFINED BY SAID BOTTOM WALL MEMBER AND SIDE WALL-FORMING FLAMPS AND BUTTING AGAINST THE UPPER SURFACE OF SAID TRAY IMMEDIATELY ADJACENT SAID FRONT WALL-FORMING FLAP; AND (H) REUSEABLE MEANS COMPRISING AN ELONGATED PRESSURESENSITIVE AREA ON THE INNER SURFACE OF SAID FRONT WALLFORMING FLAP FOR DETACHABLY SECURING SAID LIP TO THE INNER SURFACE OF SAID FRONT WALL-FORMING FLAP. 